Building construction



Sept. 7, 1937. L P. SMITH BUILDING coNsTRucTIoN Filed May H21, 1937ATTORNEY S `tion of walls for buildings. relates to walls fabricated of`a number of panels ,e

Patented Sept. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES,y PATENT OFFICE BUILDINGCONSTRUCTION Leon PSmith, Brooklyn, N. applicati@ May 21.1931, seriaiNo.143,892' s claims. (ci. 'za-30) "Ifhepresent invention relates totheconstrucor sections which are assembled together and fastened to asupporting framework. Single or double walls may be constructed and inthe case of double walls, having panels on both sides of the framework,the space between' the panels may `be filled with concrete or otherfilling or insulating materials, or left partially or wholly unoccupied,as may be desired.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel type `of panel foruse in erecting walls,

this panel serving both as a form for poured concretewalls and asthepermanent interior or exterior surface of the finished wall.

Another object isto provide novel means for.l

` plete `walls thannas hitherto been possible.

Another object is to enablethe construction and use of panels ofua largevariety of materials, of low cost, and making possible theprefabrication of buiding units to a great extent.

Another object is to provide building elements which are structurallystrong and which have an extensivev area so as to be able to competefavorably with present modesof construction by rea.-

`son of greater lrapidity of erection.

Other'objects and advantages will appear from the following detaileddescription of `certain preferred embodiments of the invention shown in`the drawing, in which:

Fig. lis a section through a doublewall, showing twodiiferent'types ofvpanels and the means framework `and showing the construction of the twotypes of panels shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a section of a panel showing a modified More particularly ithydrostatic head pressure without deforming.

form of Vreinforcement designed to withstand high internal pressure.`

It is. contemplated that a building structure will be erected on asuitable foundation with a supporting framework of steel or wood beams.5 To this framework panels are attached, which panels havebeenprefabricated to serve as the permanent inner or outer Walls. Outerwall panels maybe surfaced in any desired way, for example in simulationof stone block, tile, marble, 10 mosaic patterns and other designs,brick, stucco or a variety of other surfaces. Inner wall panels may besmooth and adapted to receive paint, paper, plaster finishing coats or`may already be decorated as may be desired. The framework 15 havingbeen erected, inner and outer panels are secured to it. The space`between the panels not occupied by beams or girders may be utilized forplumbing, heating or electric wiring conduits and the like.A Theremaining space may then be 20 permanently filled with concrete orinsulating materials. ,e

The present invention is particularly well `adapted for the building ofa concrete wall, the

formation :of the panels being such that they 25 maybe utilized `asforms for theconcrete which can be poured to aconsiderable depth. :Tothis end the panels embody anovel form of metal reinforcement designedto withstand considerable 30 AReferring tothe drawing, Fig. 1, an I-beamI0, is shown which is assumed to bea part of the supporting'framework ofa building. Assuming that the section of wall shownis an exterior wall,

to the outer side of the beams IU are secured a 35 series of panels Ilwhich have beenprefabricated to simulate stone blocks orthe like, asshown in Fig. 2. To the other side ofthe beams, o'n the inside of thewall, are secured a. series` of panels I2 which may be constructed withany desired 40 finish such asa surfacesuitable for painting or`papering. e e Y Y e These panels II and I2 are prefabricated by firstforming a sheet metal reinforcement which comprises a series of curved'sections and out- 46 wardly extending reinforcing and securing flangesat the junctions of the several panels. Referring to Fig. 4, thereinforcement is made by forming a strip of, sheet metal into the curvedsections Il, `folding it double between each pair of sections 50 to formthe outwardly extendingflanges i5.A At intervals along ytheangesltheyare provided with slots or openings l5; To the reinforcement thusconstructed a suitable surfacing material i8 is applied and firmlybonded therewith, for which 5l purpose the outer surface of thereinforcement may be prepared as the case requires in order to secure afirm bond between the surfacing material and the reinforcing material.The solid sheet metal reinforcement sections I4 serve to prevent anyseepage of moisture through the wall and make it unnecessary to use anyother waterproofing.

A second type of panel may be fabricated as shown in Fig. 5. With thistype the curved sections of reinforcements may be formed from aperforated metal plate or expanded metal having openings therethrough asshown at I9. The edges of the curved panel in such cases are turned upand clamped between folded flanges 20 of sheet metal which, as in thecase of Fig. 4, are provided with openings I6. A panel is then cast orotherwise formed about such reinforcement so as to form a solid blockembedding the reinforcing member to such an extent that only the flanges20 are exposed. The reinforcement I9 may also be a practically solidsheet as in Fig. 4 with the surface material bonded to both sides.

'Ihe shape of the reinforcement is a particular feature of thisinvention and the sections between the extending flanges I5 or 20, asthe case may be, are curved in order that pressure which is exerted onthe reinforcement from inside the wall as from wet concrete pouredbetween the panels, shall not have a tendency to bulge the reinforcementoutwardly but shall result more nearly in mere tension within thereinforcement without bending it. It is for this reason that thereinforcement is in curved sections and these curves preferably approacha. catenary as an ideal configuration. By this means pressure within thereinforcement is transmitted to the flanges I5 or 20 without causingsufficient bending of the reinforcement to cause the surfacing materialto crack, This form furthermore presents a series of arches to resistpressure from the outside.

It will now be readily understood how a wall may be rapidly erected ofpanels formed in the manner described by securing to the I-beams I0 orother framework of a building, properly spaced angular brackets 2| andsecuring the panels by their flanges to these brackets by bolts 22passing through the openings I6. A wall so formed may be fllled withconcrete 23 or other heavy material to a considerable depth, even to thetop of a wall of ordinary height, without danger of cracking orybulging. It may not be necessary to secure the panels to the frameworkat each point where a flange adjoins a frame member but it may besufficient to tie together interior and exterior panels at intermediatepoints so as to resist the interior pressure of the filling material.Such a tie is shown in Fig. 1 at 24, the tie being assumed to be locatedbetween the beams and consisting of the usual twist of wire which hasbeen inserted through opposite openings I6 in the flanges of theinterior and exterior panels.

Fig. 2 shows how panels fabricated to simulate masonry, for example, maybe joined together in such a way as to make the joints practicallyinvisible, a horizontal joint being indicated by the number 25 and avertical joint following the staggered position of the simulated stonesbeing shown at 26.

In order to line up the panels and further support them against internalor external pressure at points where the joints do not coincide with themembers of the framework such as the Fig. 3 by means of a bar 28 whichis secured,

together with the flanges 20, to brackets on the beams I0 by means ofbolts 22, the bar 28 being further secured to the flanges 20 by bolts 29passing through the flanges at points adjacent the point where thepanels join.

If the wall is to be filled with concrete or other wet material, it isdesirable that the joints between the panels be rendered water-tight bymeans of strips 3|) which overlap the joints and are applied on top ofwaterproofing material.

In Fig. 6 a modified form of reinforcement is illustrated which isparticularly adapted for taking extra heavy internal strain. 'Ihisreinforcement may be formed from a sheet of metal which is folded up toprovide flanges 3i and curved sections 32. To the reinforcing members soformed, auxiliary plates 3l, curved on a shorter radius than thesections 32, are applied on the convex surface of the sections 32 andwelded or otherwise fastened thereon along the dotted lines 35. Withthis construction, if internal pressure is developed by reason of a headof concrete or other heavy material sufficient to cause the sections 32to stretch or bulge, they will merely extend themselves into air gaps 36between sections 32 and plates 34 and will not cause cracks in theexternal surface 38.

While the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described inconsiderable detail they are not to be taken as limitations of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A Wall structure consisting of supporting framework, prefabricatedpanels rigidly secured to said framework in abutting relationship toform a continuous wall surface, said panels comprising reinforcement inthe form of outwardly curved sections joined to inwardly projectingflanges, said reinforcement being intimately bonded with a layer ofsurfacing. material of such thickness as to occupy at least all of thespace between said reinforcement and a plane tangent to the convexsurfaces of said curved sections, and means including said flanges forsecuring the panels to the framework.

2. A wall structure consisting of supporting framework, prefabricatedpanels rigidly secured to said framework, said panels includingreinforcement in the form of outwardly curved sections and integralattaching means connected to.,

said framework, and concrete illling the space between said panels, thesaid reinforcement having sufficient resistance to bending under thehydrostatic pressure produced by the unset concrete to prevent crackingof the surface of said panels.

3. A prefabricated panel for use in erecting building walls and adaptedto serve both as a permanent wall surface and as a form for pouredconcrete, comprising a cast or moulded body and a reinforcing membersecurely bonded thereto, said member consisting of sections curvedtoward the outer surface of said panel and having inwardly projectingmembers adapted to be secured to the frame members of a building.

4. A prefabricated panel for use in erecting building walls and adaptedto serve both as a permanent Wall surface and as a form for pouredconcrete, comprising a reinforcing member formed by bending sheet metalinto a series of sections curved outwardly in one direction and flangesprojecting in the opposite direction, and surfacing material bonded tothe convex side of said reinforcement to a depth suillcient to form aplane surfaced Wall, said flanges being adapted for use in securing saidpanel to a supporting framework.

n.5; A prefabricated panel for use in erecting building Walls andadapted to serve both as a pgermanenifp'all surface and as a form forpoured "concrete,

permanent wall surface and as a form for poured concrete, comprising areinforcing member formed by bending sheet metal into a series ofsections outwardly curved in one direction and ilanges projecting in theopposite direction and having auxiliary plates curved on a shorterradius than said sections secured at their straight edges to the face ofeach of said sections to provide a space between said plates andsections, and surfacing materiai bonded to' the convex sides of saidplates to a depth suicient to form a. substantially plane surfaced wall,whereby outward expansion of said sections is permitted without bendingsaid plates.

LEON l?. SMITH.

